Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-12
INTER STATE COMMERCE.
Letters of Senator James T. wilson CT Iowa
10 the Fairfield Ledger
FAIRFIELD, IOWA, May :, 1857.

FAIRFIELD, IOWA, May I, 1857.
Editors Ledger: One of the threats
now and then made by the railroad man
ayers lis to change the system of issuing
bills of lading and passage tickets. The
practice has been for years to issue both
from place of departure to place of desti-
nation in both cases. The threat has been
made to change this and issue bills of
lsdlng and tickets over the respective
roads making up through line of trans
portati0n. This cannot lawfully be done.
| The United States statute OF June Is,
1856, provides:
That every railroad company in the
/ United States whose road is operated by
| steam, It's successors aud assigns, be, and
/ is hereby, authorized TO carry upon and
over its road, boats, bridges and ferries,
all passengers, troops, government sup
| plies, mails, freight, and property on
their way from any state to another state,
and 10 receive compensation therefor,
and to connect with roads CT other states
! so as to form continuous lines for the
transportation of INC same to the place Of
destination.
was the author of this Law, aud know
that il will not allow the above NEIL
toned threat TO be made effective. gave
myGieWs of the purpose and effect OF the
law in q speech in the Senate Of the
United States On Monday, January 3,
1885, in which l said:
The principle imbedded in the act Of
June 10, 1856, is broader than any, eppli-
cation that has yet been given to 1t by the
railroad companies whose operations now
90 on under 1t. They seem 10 treat that
act IS one which does no more than con-
fer certain privileges on them. Neither
the rules Of puCliC policy involved nor
the terms Of the act will justify such con-
clusion. Heretofore, aud in different
plsCe from this, l expressed my views OF
/ this particular phase of the case in Ian
guage which | apply to it here to-day,
namely:
ono one car doubt what the rule of
public commercial policy thus established
is, nor question its wisdom. The policy
is though lines Of transportation for pas
seDgers and freight passing from one
state to another StatG-the abolition OF
unnecessary changes, delays, breaking Of
bulk, and attendant WGstage, cost,
charges, and loss Of time. These wereto
end, SO far, at least, as the means g. the
command Of the railroad companies could
be utilized 10 effect that result. Com
merCe was TO be facilitated. This rule
Was established not merely for the benefit
Of railroad companies, for their cor
venienCe and greater profit, but Tor the
advancement Of the interests Of the great
Gnd constantly ergumentIg Interstate
commerce Of the country end OF every
one connected herewith, either as pas
se1ger, or shipper, or producer, or con-
sumer Of things transported.
That legislation did not merely confer
q privilege on railroad companies, which
they might use CT not, at their pleasure.
Running with this privilege, and INSOFAR
able from il, is the duty of using il for
the public coed, duty which consti-
tutes the consideration for which the
privilege was granted 10 them"
The purpose Of the act referred 10 was
clearly stated in its title. Il was; can
act TO facilitate commercial, postal, and
military communication among the sew
eral states" Its enactment was the eX-
erCfEe OF s great constitutional power for
q public purpose. II established pub
lie poNeyS The authority conferred on
railroad companies within the definition
Of the act was equivalent to g command.
The authority to do was associated with
tas duty TO do; and with this duty ran
every obligation imposed on common
carriers by the common law, and such
additions thereto or notifications thereof
as Congress had declared or may by law
provide. The facility extended 10 inter-
State commerce was not confined to its
mere movement over the lines Of the
several railroad companies, but included
q : t1dfi ffu' pnnQlifu fTE and
its protection.
This enactment has not been referred
to in the discussions which have found
place in the newspapers and before the
commission. But there it stands, an in
flexible rule commanding through bills of
lading and passage tickets from place of
departure to place Of destination. Every
shipper and every passenger has g right
TO demand that il be cbeyed
JAMES I. WILSON.